Process

Inclusive Plan Making Process

Below is the general process that TTC follows while working with our communities. The typical comprehensive planning process takes 6 to 9 months to ensure thorough and high quality deliverables.

1. Organize

Gather a team of 3 to 5 core stakeholders who can devote time, interest, ability, resources and networks and indicate willingness to direct and engage the community.

2. Connect

Reach out and involve as many community members and other groups as possible in the strategizing and planning process. Increase community capacity by engaging a task force of between 8 and 15 local stakeholders who are trusted leaders and important points of connection, especially those with a mission to provide a safety net to the most vulnerable citizens of a community. To get a complete and broader scope of community needs, TTC actively seeks out a diverse group of residents that can dedicate varying amounts of time, talent, and treasure.

3. Assess

Collect pertinent data to be used as the foundation of decision making going forward. A description of the community issue(s) the project will address, along with evidence of the causes and extent of the problem(s).

4. Envision

Interactively engage the public and task force in setting goals for their community.

5. Prioritize

Identify a range of promising policies and actions that align with other strategies. Projects that involve other organizations, such as transportation districts, school districts, non-profit organizations, business or professional organizations, or research or educational institutions, should indicate how these partnerships will function.

6. Implement

Projects directly relate to community's goals and will have impact on the community. Projects include specific sustainability or community capacity needs, which may include fostering active transportation, improving social equity, improving urban form, reducing energy use, protecting natural systems, reducing vulnerabilities, or redeveloping existing structures.

7. Monitor, Evaluate, Update

Gather feedback to continue learning and adapting to different conditions and communities.

Additional information regarding these processes can be found in our book Planning for Community Resilience, which can be purchasedhere. This book outlines our inclusive process for developing disaster-resilient communities based on recovery work done in Galveston, Texas after Hurricane Ike.